Cruising the Norwegian Fjords - with Smithsonian Journeys

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys. This cruise is part of a collection of Ponant voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the Ponant experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

Cruise with Ponant on an exceptional itinerary...read more and discover the beauty of the Norwegian fjords. Come aboard the Le Dumont-d'Urville for an 8-day cruise and sail along the Norwegian coastline, whose vertiginous cliff faces have been sculpted by the wind and the sea, giving rise to many unspoiled fjords.

From Bergen, famous for its Hanseatic wharf which still carries a few traces of the rich historic past of the city founded by the Vikings, your ship will first sail towards Alesund, where you will be able to admire the wonderfully preserved fishermen's houses that date from the 18th century. Then, you will discover the Geiranger Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before making your way to the small colourful and cosmopolitan towns of Hellesylt. Le Dumont-d'Urville will set sail for Loen.

From this small and charming village, located a few kilometres from Jostedalsbreen National Park, which is home to one of the last ice caps in Europe, you will have the opportunity to admire the magnificent Briksdal glacier. During your cruise, you will have the privilege of sailing in the famous "Lysefjord" (light fjord), flanked by granite cliffs. Arendal, once known as the Venice of the North because of its canals, will be an utterly charming port of call. On the final leg of your trip you will call at Gothenburg, in Sweden. Your cruise will end in Oslo, the Norwegian capital, a city with a unique energy.